Changing Winds
Marianna crept around the Club with trepidation. Something always seemed to happen on Sunday nights lately. A few weeks ago, Pez DeSpencer had died of alcohol poisoning. The week after, there was the Dance Contest. After that, Pez's case was reopened... but so far, everything looked normal- whatever normal was.
Frogman had started a fight with UPChuck over at table 13. Frogman must have seen UPChuck accidentally glance at Doreen, something extremely offensive to the revolting amphibian. Never mind that UPChuck was rather more involved with Dream right now, and was technically on a date with her tonight. Anyway, it was a word-fight at the moment, so Mari didn't have to worry about the furniture.
Myskalogy was playing tonight. Marianna found herself starting to like ska. It was like 1940's Big Band music, but... not. And nearly every song ever written could be ska'd- including Beatles songs. In fact, Myskalogy was playing their version of I am the Walrus.
The members of Arnold were at the Club tonight. Even though they had only won second in the Battle of the Bands, Mari had given them (as well as Myskalogy) a contract at the Club. She liked their sound. And their bassist. At first, she'd thought he was involved with the keyboardist- they were always together, after all. Then she learned that Neil St. James and Ursula Welles just hung out together out of lonliness. They didn't know anyone in Layla:), and Aaron Gear (the guitarist) and Lucy Francis (the drummer) were always off somewhere engaging in PDA.
Now they were starting to make friends (and gather groupies) at Club Calypso. Ursula was beginning a relationship with Nicolas Kofos- the bubbly blonde was a great match for the exuberant tenor. She was also close to Ellie Zabul, the Layla:) librarian, as Ursula spent a lot of her down-time reading. Neil was getting along with Shoebox in general, and was nearly always at the bar talking to Marianna.
Sure, both of them were fully aware that Mari was married. But it was fun to flirt (and other stuff). And harmless. Like Marianna's obsession with Paul McCartney.
Now, Neil was coming into the Club. Marianna watched him scan the room, notice her at the bar, and head straight over. He waved at Aaron and Lucy, seated at table 14 and sharing a plate of pasta. Mari thought Aaron looked unusually interested in the fight at table 13. Actually, Doreen looked unusually interested in Aaron. Ah, well.
"Hey, Mari," said Neil. His voice was like Mac's, but... not. It gave her a thrill every time he spoke. Mac had never given Mari a thrill. "I was wondering if I could bus tables or something. I'm in need of cash."
"Oh, dear... life of a musician, eh?" Marianna smiled. A familiar predicament. "Want to be a bartender? Then I can just be a manager!"
"Manager? Why would you want a cushy, work-free job?"
"Gee, Neil,I wonder. C'mon, get back here and I'll show you how to make an elf skank." She smiled evilly.
"Wha-a?"
"You weren't here... it was last year's dance contest. Heh-heh."
"Mari, you scare me."
"A common sentiment among my close friends." Just then, the fight at table 13 got physical.
Frogman had suddenly balled his webbed hand into a fist and punched UPChuck, hitting him in the jaw. UPChuck responded immediately, getting up and grabbing the vile amphibian by the throat and slamming him against the wall.
"Outside!" shouted Marianna. She didn't mind a good fight- where furniture wouldn't be broken.
"Did the set guys build the outside yet?" taunted Frogman.
"Oh, please, come up with a better taunt already!" said UPChuck. "And of course they built the set! Remember last week? Daniela had to drive through some sort of outdoor setting."
"Oh, yeah, I knew that! It's just hard to remember when the oxygen to your brain is being cut off!"
"What brain?" UPChuck shot back. Dream glanced at Mari. Why isn't Doreen trying to break it up? Dream thought as UPChuck dragged Frogman outside.
I don't know, thought Marianna. Maybe because she's staring at Aaron Gear.
Lucy Francis, noticing her boyfriend reciprocating Doreen's stares, stood up and walked over to the bar. Dream went outside to watch the fight, as did a handful of Frogman and UPChuck's friends.
Now it had become an average fistfight, neither side gaining an inch. Frogman was larger than UPChuck, and probably stronger, but UPChuck was definitely smarter and more agile. He dodged Frogman's wild punches, occasionally getting in a punch of his own. Finally Frogman tired, bleeding from his froggy nose where UPChuck had hit him a few times. UPChuck, also tiring, found a last burst of energy and strength, picked up Frogman, and hurled him over the heads of the startled spectators and into a wall.
Frogman writhed in pain for a few moments, then fell unconscious. He wasn't dead- every soap opera needs an immortal evil, and besides, we aren't that lucky. The fight over, everyone went back inside. Dream wanted to call an ambulance for Frogman, but UPChuck talked her out of it. They came up to the bar, where Marianna had a nice, strong drink waiting.
"Thanks, Marianna," said UPChuck. "That was fun! I always wanted to throw him into a wall!"
"I get a turn soon, right?" asked Marianna.
"Oh, but I want all the fun for myself!"
"There's some fun you can't have," said Neil, slipping an arm around Marianna suggestively. Dream shot an alarmed glance at Mari, who shot back a who-cares glance.
Lucy Francis tossed back the rest of her drink, turned to Marianna, and said, "I hear the Trenchcoats are looking for a drummer."
"You aren't quitting Arnold!" Neil cried.
"Well it sure as heck looks like I'm gonna be replaced!" She frowned. "Look at how Aaron and that girl are glomming all over each other."
"Glomming?" asked UPChuck.
Lucy shrugged. "Y'know, hanging on each other, playing kissy-face. Like he used to do with me."
"Ahhh. Glomming. Yeah," UPChuck nodded.
"Glom. Glom. Glom," said Marianna. "That's got a neat sound to it. I like it. Tee hee! Glom. Glom."
"Uh... yeah!" said everyone at the bar, exchanging seven and a half glances of the 'is she stoned?' sort.
Neil decided to take that moment to kiss Marianna. Mac Trench decided to take that moment to enter Club Calypso. He frowned, spotting his pretty (no, make that beautiful- no, gorgeous) wife with the geekily cute bassist. It wasn't jealousy or betrayal he felt. Extramarital affairs were expected in an arranged marriage. But like in a royal family, those affairs ought to be kept private. Mac was offended by Marianna's flaunting of affairs.
Then Marianna saw Mac. She gently pushed Neil away, instructing him to make a martini for Mac (shaken, not stirred- it's a secret agent thing). She continued her conversation with the others, while staring across the bar into Mac's eyes, daring him to make a scene. A scene, she knew, was exactly what Mac didn't want.
Mac arrived at the bar just as Neil was placing the martini on it. "This is my new bartender, Neil. Neil, this is my husband, Mac Trench. Polly's father," Mari added needlessly. Mac smiled at Neil toothily (uh-oh...), sipped his martini, and said to Marianna, "We're going to talk- now." Marianna raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, really? I think we agreed that the Club is my domain; the house is yours. So we don't 'talk' unless I want to."
Mac glared. That had been the agreement five years ago, when Marianna gave up SCUBA-diving for matrimony, maternity, music, and money. There were too many agreements in this marriage, Mac thought.
Next Week: A Scandalous Affair!
Will Marianna ever give up her bassist-fetish? (Not likely...) Will Mac be able to control Marianna; will she control him; or will Pollythene manage to blackmail them both into good behaviour? And why wasn't Daniela in this episode?!